Method and system for leakage detection in a fluid system

Abstract

A method for detecting leakage in a fluid system. Some embodiments of the method comprise: receiving a plurality of measured pressure values of a fluid pressure in the fluid system measured at different points in time; computing, from the received pressure values, a first pressure gradient at a first point in time; computing, from the received pressure values, a second pressure gradient at a second point in time, later than the first point in time, wherein the fluid pressure in the fluid system at the first point in time is higher than the fluid pressure in the fluid system at the second point in time; detecting presence of a leakage responsive to the magnitude of the second pressure gradient being smaller than the magnitude of the first pressure gradient.

1 . A method for detecting leakage in a fluid system, comprising:
 a) receiving a plurality of measured pressure values of a fluid pressure in the fluid system measured at different points in time;   b) computing, from the received pressure values, a first pressure gradient indicative of a gradient of the measured pressure values at a first point in time;   c) computing, from the received pressure values, a second pressure gradient indicative of a gradient of the measured pressure values at a second point in time, later than the first point in time, wherein the fluid pressure in the fluid system at the first point in time is higher than the fluid pressure in the fluid system at the second point in time;   d) comparing the magnitude of the second pressure gradient, which second pressure gradient is indicative of the gradient of the measured pressure values at the second point in time, with the magnitude of the first pressure gradient, which first pressure gradient is indicative of the gradient of the measured pressure values at the first point in time, and detecting presence of leakage responsive to the magnitude of the second pressure gradient being smaller than the magnitude of the first pressure gradient.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid system comprises a pump configured to increase the fluid pressure in the fluid system, wherein the pump is controllable to selectively start and stop pump operation, and wherein the first point in time is selected as a point in time subsequent to a stop of the pump operation of the pump. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the second point in time is selected as a point in time prior to a start of pump operation of the pump and/or to a time of a detected increase in fluid pressure. 
     
     
         4 . A method for detecting leakage in a fluid system, the fluid system comprising a pump configured to increase the fluid pressure in the fluid system, wherein the pump is controllable to selectively start and stop pump operation, wherein the method comprises:
 a) receiving a plurality of measured pressure values of a fluid pressure in the fluid system measured at different points in time;   b) detecting a start time at which the pump starts a pump operation, and computing, from the received pressure values, a first pressure gradient indicative of a gradient of the measured pressure values at a first point in time prior to the detected start time;   c) detecting a stop time at which the pump stops a pump operation, the stop time being subsequent to the detected start time, and computing, from the received pressure values, a second pressure gradient indicative of a gradient of the measured pressure values at a second point in time subsequent to the detected stop time;   d) detecting presence of leakage from at least a comparison of the computed first and second pressure gradients with each other.   
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring the fluid pressure to detect at least one temporary pressure increase   selecting the first point in time as a time later than a detected end of one of the detected at least one temporary pressure increase, and   selecting the second point in time as a time prior to a detected onset of one of the at least one detected temporary pressure increase.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 e) computing a current leakage rate and/or a current leakage amount at least from one of the first and second pressure gradients.   
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 monitoring the fluid pressure during a time period between the first and second points in time,   responsive to detecting a temporary pressure increase during said time period between the first and second points in time, computing a modified current leakage rate and/or a modified current leakage amount to compensate for the detected temporary pressure increase.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6 , comprising issuing a notification to a user responsive to the current leakage rate and/or responsive to the current leakage amount. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 6 , comprising:
 repeating at least steps b) through e) in respect of respective first and second time intervals to compute respective current leakage rates and/or respective current leakage amounts associated with respective time intervals,   computing an aggregated leakage rate and/or an aggregated leakage amount from the respective current leakage rates and/or from the respective current leakage amounts.   
     
     
         10 . A data processing system configured to perform the steps of the method defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A pump for use in a fluid system, the pump comprising a processing unit ( 200 ) configured to control operation of the pump; wherein the processing unit is further configured to perform the steps of the method defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A pump according to  claim 11 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure values, and wherein the processing unit is configured to receive the measured pressure values from the pump. 
     
     
         13 . A pump according to  claim 11 , further comprising a non-return valve ( 113 ) at an inlet ( 111 ) of the pump. 
     
     
         14 . A pump according to  claim 11 ; comprising a communications interface for wired or wireless communication with a remote data processing system wherein the pump is configured to communicate measured pressure values and or computed leakage rates and/or amounts to the remote data processing system and/or wherein the pump is configured to receive configuration data from the remote data processing system. 
     
     
         15 . A fluid system ( 10 ) comprising a pressure sensor ( 400 ) and a data processing system communicatively coupled to the pressure sensor; wherein the data processing system is configured to perform the steps of the method defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A computer program comprising computer program code configured, when executed by a data processing system, to cause the data processing system to perform the steps of the method according to  claim 1 .